


Our Masterpiece

by Super_Seagull



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:02:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29412339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Super_Seagull/pseuds/Super_Seagull
Summary: Art Class. It was a required course.Some people took it by choice, others by force. But there was no avoiding it.It was a mixing pot for all types of people- even the oddest of pairs.(Karlnap Highschool AU)
Relationships: Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Comments: 15
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello~!! this is my first time writing on ao3, so we will be working out the kinks together! I really love Highschool AUs and I wanted to write one of my own! I hope you enjoy :]

The sound of the bell resonated through the bustling halls at exactly 8:05 in the morning.

A chocolate-haired boy sat in the back corner of the art room, feet on the table, doodling on his dirty converse with a sharpie. He was sporting a Hawaiian shirt, patterned with different pastel flowers, and holding a half-downed energy drink in his non-dominant hand. 

“Morning, class,” the teacher said as she walked into the acrylic-smelling room, iced coffee in hand.

“Jacobs, feet off the desk,” she demanded, snapping her fingers in a downward motion. Despite her intimidating demeanor, the student she was addressing was her favorite- a fact they were both aware of. 

He groaned before swinging his feet back onto the ground in a fluid motion.

Karl Jacobs- he was unbothered by every definition of the word. He didn’t have a ton of friends, but he wasn’t a loner. He wasn’t disrespectful towards authority, but he wasn’t a suck-up. He didn’t have bad grades, but he wasn’t a valedictorian by any means. He just didn’t care. Almost everything about him was average, so he didn’t stick out; a detail he took comfort in. He couldn’t be bothered with putting in the effort to be “unique”. Who cares? 

It was the first day of his junior year. The initial “first-day jitters” didn't get to him anymore; he had done this too many times. Instead, he quietly sipped his energy drink, subtly bouncing his legs, while the room filled with increasingly louder conversations. He knew the teacher wouldn’t mind.

Ms. Magnolia was the art teacher at his high school. She was like most art teachers- a laid back, caffeine-addicted, free spirit, on the brink of insanity. She also preferred to go by Maggie, “because Ms. Magnolia sounds so formal”.

Karl had been taking her classes since Freshman year. Art was one of the few things that the boy was passionate about. 

He loved that such beautiful masterpieces could come from such bleak tools. He loved the feeling of finally taking a step back and admiring his art. He liked knowing that _he _created something so jaw-dropping, all on his own. Plus, he was naturally good at the arts, and anything that doesn’t require much effort on his part is appealing.__

Maggie jumped into her usual “these are my extremely low expectations for the semester” introduction speech. Karl paid no attention, as he had heard it multiple times before. He always went above and beyond these expectations, which is probably why he was her favorite. 

She wasn’t able to finish her routine monologue, as someone came stumbling backwards into the doorway. Karl glanced at the clock. _Seven minutes late. ___

__“I’ll catch you later, man!” the presumably new addition to the class laughed to his friend in the hallway. His voice echoed through the classroom, even though he was facing away from it._ _

__The disruption finally walked himself into the room and Karl recognized him. He was also a Junior and he was on the football team. Karl didn’t know his actual name, as most everyone referred to him as “Sadnap” or something like that. The only other piece of information Karl knew about him was that he had been suspended twice. For what? Karl never bothered to find out; he simply didn’t care._ _

__But, even from what little Karl knew, he was painfully aware that the white headband or bandana or whatever you want to call it never left its spot on his forehead._ _

In addition to his usual headpiece, the new boy was also wearing a Thrasher t-shirt, black joggers, and checkered vans. A very monotone and typical outfit. Karl smiled to himself, noting that his sense of style was obviously much better.

“Name?” Maggie asked, looking at her attendance chart. Karl would be lying if he said he wasn’t at least a little curious of his actual name. 

“Nick” he replied tiredly, the energy quickly leaving his voice and the smile dropping from his face. The reality of where he was most likely started to set in. Most kids didn’t want to take this class, but you needed an art credit to graduate. 

Karl went back to doodling on his hand with the aforementioned sharpie.

“Alright...” Maggie trailed off, quickly scribbling something on her clipboard. “Um, you can sit at the back table with the boy in the stupid flower shirt, drinking an energy drink at eight in the GD morning.” 

Karl narrowed his eyes at her, and she just smiled back. He didn’t mind their playful banter, but he did mind her ruining his peace. He was enjoying having a table all to himself. Granted, there weren’t many available seats, but still. Maggie gave him a look that said “you can handle it”. Just because he _could _didn’t mean he _wanted _to.____

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Nick rolled his eyes and made his way over to Karl, clearly not amused. Karl wasn’t too pleased either. 

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After dropping his bag to the ground and slumping in the seat across from Karl, Nick promptly pulled out his phone, completely ignoring Maggie’s continued talk about the locations of the different art supplies. 

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“I’m Karl,” the brunette offered in an attempt to be polite. Nick didn’t so much as blink in his direction.

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“Whatever,” Karl scoffed under his breath before taking another swig of his drink. Most people would probably be annoyed with his table partner’s curtness, but Karl didn’t care.

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__By the end of the class, Karl’s left arm was splotched with black marker, a multitude of patterns and doodles decorating all the way up to his elbow. His table partner had been quietly on his phone the whole time, at some point popping earbuds in._ _

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__Not a single word was exchanged between them all hour._ _

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	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> make sure to eat and stay hydrated <3 (also, this is officially a Fundy Appreciation Page)

Karl’s day continued to run smoothly as he patiently waited for lunch, so he could reunite with his best friends. Approaching the cafeteria, he began scanning the room for three people in specific.

“Alex, you asshole!” he heard someone shout from a distance away. 

“Fuck you too, George!” another familiar voice yelled. Even though the commons were noisy, filled with layers of conversation and laughter, the loud voices of his two best friends carried above all the commotion. Karl grinned as he made his way over to the source. 

“Break it up, you chuckleheads,” Karl laughed, throwing one arm around each of his friends’ necks. The glares on Alex and George’s faces quickly turned into smiles upon realization. 

“There you all are! I thought I sensed an overwhelming amount of stupidity!” someone called to the group. As they directed their attention to the voice, they were happy to see it was the final ‘member’ of their close-knit group. 

“Fundy,” Alex smirked in a sing-songy voice, dragging out the last syllable. As the lanky boy approached them, he engulfed them all in a large hug. Karl let out a sigh of contentment. He loved his friends. 

“Let’s go find somewhere to sit, I have so much to complain about,” George suggested, annoyance evident in his voice. They broke up their group hug and made their way towards an empty table, weaving through other people along the way.

The teens shared some experiences from their previous classes, exchanging giggles and playful punches. Fundy was already complaining about his work load and Alex explained that he had almost been kicked out of his second hour. As the latter told them the story, Karl noted that George had been quiet for quite some time.

George was zoned out, head leaning on his palm, staring at something across the cafeteria. Not something- someone. Karl used the hand that wasn’t holding his second energy drink of the day and waved it in front of his shorter friend’s face. George’s body made a small jolt and he cleared his throat, focusing his attention back on his friends. Karl gave him a small grin and a look that said “I know you too well”. 

Their lunch break was over before they knew it, and soon the group was getting ready to go their separate ways for the second half of the day. 

“I will miss you all so much!” Alex let out a fake sob and left a wet kiss on George’s cheek. 

“Gross, dude!” George scoffed, wiping off the saliva with the back of his hand. Fundy let out a squeaky laugh which imitated that of a fox. Karl smiled happily to himself. There is no where else he would rather be and no one else he would rather be with.

~~~

The last bell of the day rang as a sigh of relief fell over the school. Karl slung his backpack over his shoulder and began walking to the parking lot, trying his best not bump into others. Suddenly, he felt the weight of his backpack being lifted. Before he could register what was happening, all the weight returned and then some, as his friend had dropped the bag back down- the force causing him to stumble backwards. Karl turned around to see Alex clutching his stomach, eyes closed in laughter.

“You’re a dick, Alexis,” Karl glared, secretly biting back a smile. His friend’s head shot up at the mention of his full name, now returning the glare. 

“Come on, Ice Cream is waiting for us,” Alex exclaimed, seemingly over the event that just occurred, grabbing Karl’s forearm and dragging him along. Karl mumbled various apologies to people, noting that Alex was extremely unaware of his surroundings, managing to pull the taller boy into almost everyone they passed. 

Alex threw the large school doors open with extreme force, causing a loud bang to resound and earn them multiple disapproving looks. Karl’s eyes dropped to his feet, not wanting any more attention on him. 

“Fundy said he would meet us there, but he needed to get gas first,” Karl recalled the mentioned friend’s words. The boy next to him nodded, clearly not listening.

“See you in a bit!” Alex waved while hopping into his car. Karl nodded while doing the same. Even though they left at the same time, Karl new his friend would beat him to the diner. Alex had a habit of speeding and driving recklessly, whereas he liked to take it slow and enjoy the scenery along the way. In every aspect, Karl was a firm believer in the ‘it’s about the journey, not the destination’ mindset.

After about five minutes of driving, Karl was proved correct as he pulled into the crowded parking lot of the diner; his friend’s vehicle already idle in its usual spot. The group visited this restaurant often, as did most students- it was close to the high school and typically had good food. The brunette parked and walked inside, the smell of grease and sweets, along with the sound of chatter and the clinking of silverware quickly overthrowing his senses. 

His eyes scanned the busy diner until he spotted the top of a familiar LAFD beanie. Karl made his way over to the booth, throwing himself onto the unoccupied bench. 

“Woo-Hoo!” Alex cheered, dramatically pumping his fists in the air. Moments later, George joined them, sliding in next to Karl. 

Upon hearing the familiar jingle of the bells above the door, the trio turned to face the newcomers. Alex let out a disappointed sigh, realizing the sound was not caused by their friend. Instead, two students entered the building, their laughs trailing off as the humor of a presumed joke began to fade. Karl recognized the boys, one of them being the headband-wearing jerk from his art class. 

“I just want my hubby to get here so we can order,” Alex groaned as he set his head down on the table. 

“Do you know them?” George questioned, eyes lingering on the duo as they were being seated. 

“Not really,” Karl shrugged. “The one with black hair is in my first hour. He sits at my table, but he didn’t say much. He didn’t say anything, actually. And, I think the blond is captain of the football team. His name is Clark or something like that. Why, do you know them?” 

George shook his head, eyes still stealing glances at the other pair of Juniors. He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by someone else’s voice. 

“Sorry about the wait, guys. Did you order yet?” Fundy panted slightly, shoving Alex over so he could sit without falling out of the seat. 

“Fucking finally,” Alex picked his head off the table, instead leaning it on Fundy’s shoulder.

“Not yet, we were waiting for you. But we can now,” George waved the waitress over and she took their orders with a warm smile. 

The group babbled lightly, occasionally sharing something on one of their phones, then laughing. George seemed distant again. He was sitting right next to his best friends, but it didn’t seem like he was really there. Karl cast a sideways look at the boy next to him, only to discover where his attention really lied- the two football boys. 

“Already? It’s the first day and you’re already head over heels?” Karl laughed, nudging his bench-mate with his shoulder.

“What are you even talking about?” George mumbled, quickly becoming very interested in his hands.

“Oh please, like I wouldn’t notice. Lunch today, now this. Hopefully he doesn’t notice all your staring, or you’ll look like a creep,” the taller boy playfully explained. The tips of George’s ears started to turn pink as he continued to look down at his hands, which were fidgeting in his lap. 

George had a habit of catching feelings relatively easily. Someone would smile at him in the halls or compliment his hair, and he was smitten. He had come out to Karl their freshman year, and since then, he constantly updated his best friend on his boy troubles. ‘Boy crazy’ wasn’t necessarily the right term, seeing as George wasn’t desperate to be in a relationship.

Another piece of information Karl had picked up about his best friend is that he is awful at keeping secrets. Correction, George was awful at keeping his own secrets. If you confided in him, he would never tell a soul; but whenever something was going on with the brown-eyed boy, it was incredibly obvious.

“What’s up?” Fundy chimed in, having noticed Karl and George were currently in their own little world. 

“George has a crush already,” Karl sighed. Fundy widened his eyes, looking back and forth between the two boys across from him. 

“Oo, who is it? Is he here? He has to be, or George would actually be listening to us. Is it him?” Alex began blurting out, jumping up on his seat so his eyes would have better access to the diner. 

“Shut up, not so loud,” George covered his face with his hands as Alex continued to point out different boys that looked about their age. 

“It’s one of the two at the table in the corner,” Karl stated, matter-of-factly, nodding towards the two that had walked in before Fundy. “My money’s on the blond.” 

At those words, George’s cheeks turned pink, confirming Karl’s suspicions. 

“Knew it,” was all he said before leaning back into the booth again. Fundy let out another airy giggle and Alex grumbled something along the lines of “that was gonna be my next guess”. The waitress came and placed four milkshakes down on the table, along with a basket of fries. 

“Anything else I can get for you boys?” she kindly offered. Alex and George shook their heads. 

“Yeah, can I get some ketchup? Also, do you know the two sitting at the table in the corner?” Fundy asked before she could step away. George hid in his hands again. 

“Of course! The football team tends to come here a lot after games- always have! The blond in green is the captain, his name’s Clay. And the black haired boy is Nick, but hardly anyone calls him that. I knew their positions last year, but I’m not sure if they’re changing this season. I’ll be right back with your ketchup,” the waitress finished, walking away. Karl crinkled his nose, unimpressed with the previously obtained knowledge. He was hoping for something new. 

“So, what small act of kindness did the dreamboat do to earn this crush?” Karl snickered, taking a swig of his milkshake. 

“First of all, fuck you, Fundy!” George flicked his crumpled straw wrapper at the boy opposite of him. The waitress returned with a bottle of ketchup, placing it down on the table. 

“Thank you! And one last thing, ma’am. Could you please tell those boys we said hello?” Alex pointed to the previously mentioned table. 

“And we will cover their tab,” Karl added, sealing the deal. George was red with embarrassment at this point, refusing to even lift his head. 

“Well, sure! That’s awfully sweet of you boys! I’ll let them know,” she winked, returning to the kitchen. The boys exchanged high-fives as George rubbed his temples. 

“You have got to be kidding me,” George sighed. Karl clapped him on the back. 

“Hey! We’re helping you! Now he knows you exist and that you’re a nice guy!” Karl offered. Fundy nodded in agreement. 

“We are the best wingmen ever!” Alex pumped his fists in the air again, earning the table a few dirty looks. 

From the corner of his eye, Karl noticed their waitress approaching the table where Clay and Nick were sitting. He tapped on George’s bicep and nodded in that direction, forcing him to look. The table all watched intently as the lady spoke to the duo across the restaurant. George felt as if he had been betrayed. 

Seconds later, the waitress pointed at Karl’s table, followed by Clay and Nick following the direction of her finger. Alex and Fundy waved, George put on a pathetic smile in a weak attempt to mask his embarrassment, and Karl just continued sipping his milkshake. When he did look up, he noticed Clay smiling back at George.

Then, he locked eyes with Nick. They held each other’s gaze for who knows how long- realistically, probably no more than a couple seconds. Karl blinked away first, breaking eye contact and returning to his fries. _Weird._

__“Well, you’ve done it. You have officially ruined my chances with the cute football captain. Way to go!” George let out a whiney sigh. Alex’s straw made an awful slurping noise as he reached the bottom of his milkshake. The tension over the table snapped, the four slipping into a shared laugh._ _

__“Um, wait! Think again!” Fundy gasped with a smile. Confused, the group turned to see where he was looking. George paled at the sight of Clay and Nick walking towards their table. He started muttering curse words under his breath._ _

__“Hey, I’m Clay, and I’m the captain of the football team. I was wondering if you could fill out this survey for me?” The blond extended his phone out to George, who had gotten control of himself for the most part. Karl looked at the screen to see it was an empty ‘new contact’ page.__

___Cheesy, but cute. George will like that. _____

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___George flushed, followed by a nod, and proceeded to fill in his name, number, and birthday. Karl looked up at Nick, who had his hands tucked in his pockets, and a blank look upon his face. He couldn’t tell if he was bored, annoyed, disgusted, tired, of anything like that; he couldn’t read this guy._ _ _

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___George handed the device back and Clay gave him a soft smile in return. That was dangerous, for George’s sake. If he hadn’t fallen completely before, he definitely has now._ _ _

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___“Thanks for covering our bill, by the way. What prompted you to do that?” the boy in green asked, sliding his phone back in his pocket. It was a valid question, since none of them knew each other. The table all glanced at each other with panic in their eyes- they hadn’t thought this far ahead._ _ _

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___“Just wanted to do something nice!”___

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___“Our friend thinks you’re cute.”_ _ _

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___“We thought it would be a nice surprise!”_ _ _

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___As if on cue, the whole table gave their individual reasoning, then rolled their eyes at the result. Clay barked out a laugh while Nick’s expression remained unchanged._ _ _

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___“Well, regardless of the reason, thank you. It was really appreciated. We’ll see you around!” Clay shot George one last smile before exiting the diner, Nick trailing behind him._ _ _

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___“See? Perfect! Now he has your number! You’re welcome,” Fundy folded his arms behind his head._ _ _

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___“Yeah, and I’d say you have a pretty good chance, based on how Mr. Heart Eyes was looking at you,” Karl continued._ _ _

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___“Here is the check, boys. No rush,” their waitress set the small black tray down on the table, two receipts sitting inside._ _ _

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___“Alright, so who’s paying?” Alex asked, looking at George. Fundy and Karl followed suit._ _ _

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___“Of course, I should have known,” George sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He got out his wallet and placed the card on the tray, not even looking at the total._ _ _

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___Ten minutes later, the friends were walking outside to their respective vehicles. Everything was so natural between them, and it’s a bond they all cherished._ _ _

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___“I’ll see you all tomorrow!” Karl cupped his hands around his mouth, projecting to his friends. They all waved and responded back, before driving to their homes. It had been a good first day._ _ _

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	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooo~ lack of motivation to write ~oooo

The blaring of Karl’s alarm was an all-too-familiar nuisance. Without opening his eyes or moving too much, he picked up his phone and switched off the default beeping noise. After laying in bed for a few more minutes, the Junior decided it was time to ‘seize the day’ or whatever motivational words Fundy always prodded the group with.

“Good morning, sweetie!” his mom greeted cheerfully as he finally made his way into the kitchen. She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before exiting the room, returning to her morning routine. Karl blinked slowly as he took in his surroundings; he was always sluggish in the mornings.

After a hot shower that felt much too short and an internal argument over what to wear, Karl was out the door. Swinging himself into his vehicle, he was careful not to shake up the energy drink in hand. He sat in his driveway for a few minutes, swiping through a variety of playlists, struggling to find one that fit the mood of his morning.

“Can’t go wrong with some good old Panic at the Disco,” Karl mumbled to himself, finally selecting an artist and pulling into the street. He belted out the lyrics while tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, somehow managing to hit every red light. 

Approximately five and a half songs later, Karl was pulling into his designated spot in the school parking lot. He switched the projection of the music from his aux and into his earbuds before exiting his car and heading to the art room.

“Morning, Maggie! How was your night?” Karl’s voice rang out in the once-quiet room. His teacher popped her head into view at the sound of someone else. A smile spread across her face upon recognition. 

“Hey, Jacobs. You and I both know that you don’t care how my night was,” Maggie responded before disappearing back into her office. Karl put on a fake look of shock and gasped dramatically. 

“Of course I care! I need to make sure you’re staying out of trouble,” the Junior teased back. He heard his teacher chuckle from the other room. 

Students continued to trickle into the classroom, usually by themselves, with the occasional duo or trio. Karl pulled the energy drink out of his bag, tapping the lid exactly four times before opening the can; the snap of the tab echoed throughout the room. A few students glanced in his direction and Maggie, now at the front of the room, rolled her eyes. 

“Unbelievable,” she muttered while clicking on the projector. The warning bell sounded throughout the school, signaling the next wave of students wandering into their respective classes.

That’s when Nick walked in, hands deep in his pockets and a bored expression on his face. His bag hit the floor with a resounding ‘thud’ before the football player slumped into his seat.

“Hey, Headband! No phone today, got it?” Maggie directed to the boy across from Karl. After looking up at his teacher, the black-haired teen gave an understanding nod. Feeling another set of eyes on him, Nick turned to the other boy at his table.

The two held each other’s gaze before the final bell rang, startling both of them. Nick looked towards the front of the room and Karl used this as an opportunity to take a swig from his can. Even though the two were strangers who had only really known each other for a day, things somehow felt weird between them. 

“Sorry,” the shorter teen murmured. Even as his expression remained unreadable, Nick’s eyes were soft and sincere. Karl wasn’t sure why he was apologizing- maybe for the tension between them- but he didn’t mind; it was the first time the boy had spoken to him, and any excuse to admire the other’s eyes was welcomed. 

“No worries,” Karl beamed back. It was at that moment that he decided to befriend the football player; he didn’t care how long it would take or how difficult it would be- they would become friends. He couldn’t place his finger on it, but there was something inside Karl that strangely wanted a bond between the two of them. 

Karl was determined to make that happen. 

~~~ 

As it turns out, befriending someone is a lot easier said than done; especially when your target is a bored jock in your art class who wants absolutely nothing to do with you.

The weeks following the initial two days were more of the same; Nick walking into class as the bell rang (if not a bit later), Nick doing the bare minimum to pass the class, Nick holding awkwardly long eye contact with Karl, Nick staying silent during the hour (save for surface level word exchanges), and then repeating the whole thing the following day. Art class was the only class Karl had with the boy, and he was getting nowhere.

“This is hopeless,” Karl groaned into his friend’s shoulder. George chuckled, patting his best friend’s head in response, cooing a sarcastic ‘there, there’. The group of four were sitting in the same place they were two weeks prior, milkshakes in front of them once again.

“Not making any progress with Snapback?” Fundy assumed, casting the boy a sympathetic look. Obviously, the trio knew about Karl’s plan to befriend Nick. They did their best to give him ideas and tips, but it was getting him nowhere.

“No! Art is the only class I have with him, and he clearly hates it. Plus, he gives me dirty looks whenever he thinks I’m distracted. He seems so cool, but I don’t know what else to do...” Karl trailed off, proceeding to stare into the bottom of his almost-empty glass.

“Speaking of football boys, how are things going with Clark?” Alex changed the subject, looking to George for a response. The latter frowned. 

“It’s Clay, and I’d say things are going well! We have been talking every day and he invited me to his football game this Friday,” He finished, gazing up and to the side. George was falling for the blond- anyone could see that. Fundy’s eyes widened as an idea popped into his head. 

“That’s perfect! Karl should go with you to the game! Nick plays football too, right? He will be in his element and it will give you a chance to talk to him outside of class!” The fox-like teen was practically bouncing in his seat as he shared his thoughts. Alex nodded in agreement. 

“I don’t want to ruin any plans George had with Clay or anything,” Karl offered, looking to the brunette next to him. George hastily shook his head. 

“I think that’s a great idea! Plus, that way I will have someone to sit with during the game. This is the perfect opportunity to spark a friendship. There will be plenty more games we could go to if it works well! You have to come with me!” George clasped his hands together in a begging manner, staring Karl right in the eyes. The taller boy sighed.

“Fine. I guess we have plans this Friday...”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't forget to smile :]   
> this chapter is kinda short, sorry~!! But, I didn't want to cram too much in one part ;P

Karl stole another glance at the raven-haired teen across from him. It was Friday, the day of the football game they would be attending. He was currently doodling in a notebook, trying to decide whether or not he should mention his plans for that evening to the boy at his table. Luckily, he didn’t have to decide.

“Hey,” Nick cleared his throat, ensuring his voice would come out smooth, “do you have any plans tonight?” “Yeah, I was gonna go to the football thing with a friend. You’re on the team too, right?” Karl responded, taking advantage of the conversation starter. He already knew the answer to this question, but he was grasping at straws to prolong their talking. 

“Damn right! I’m the vice-captain,” Nick clearly took pride in this fact, his tone becoming boastful. This was the first time Karl had seen any sort of emotion emit from the other, so he couldn’t help but smile. 

“My friend wants to go, so I’m getting dragged along with to keep him company!” This was half true. In reality, Karl had been looking forward to this event ever since the idea had been suggested.

“Cool!” Karl opened his mouth to respond, but the second he had finished the word, Nick was putting his earbuds in again. A pitiful sigh left the taller boy’s mouth. No sooner had the conversation started, it was over.

If things continued like this, Karl would be stuck on this plateau for the rest of the semester. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake this desire to befriend Nick- it was like a gravitational pull. All he was left to do was hope that tonight’s game would change things for the better. 

~~~

_Disheartening. That was the only word that could truly describe the way things transpired that night. ___

It started like every other football game the duo had been to; Karl picked George up, they stopped by McDonald’s before arriving at the field 10 minutes before the game was supposed to start, sat in the middle of the bleachers, and yelled loudly as the team ran out onto the artificial grass. 

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But, things quickly turned bitter when their team scored a point, and the girl in front of Karl bumped his hand while cheering, causing his Diet Coke to spill all over his chest. The brunette groaned as he looked down, observing the wet mess that was now his shirt. _Of course ___

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__“It’s no problem! I’ll get Clay to drive me home!” George reassured after Karl mentioned his plans to leave the game early. He felt guilty leaving his friend by himself, but he didn’t want to sit in discomfort for around another hour._ _

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__After reaching his car, Karl realized he had dropped his keys somewhere along the way. Five minutes of retracing his steps and wandering around like an idiot later, he found his keys laying in the dirt. Once he started the ignition, the fuel light started blinking, meaning he would have to stop and get gas (in his coke-soaked shirt). The inconveniences seemed to go on and on._ _

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__So now, Karl was laying on his bed, hair damp and shoulders glistening from his recent shower. His eyes were closed as he tuned the world out with music. The familiar tune in his earbuds began to fade and was quickly replaced with a ringing noise. Karl picked up his phone, squinting at the change in brightness, to see George calling._ _

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__“Hello?” The boy sat up while accepting the call. He rubbed his eyes, hoping he wouldn’t have to go back out and pick up his friend._ _

____

__“We won!” George cheered from the other end of the line, a smile evident in his voice. There was chatter in the background, along with the clinking of dishes and the faint sound of music._ _

____

__“That’s great,” Karl attempted to sound enthusiastic, but he was disappointed he missed the climax of the evening. “Do I need to come pick you up?”_ _

____

__“No, I’m at the diner with the team right now, and Clay has got me taken care of,” George cut himself off with a giggle. “Do you want to meet us here? You’re more than welcome! Plus, Nick is here!”_ _

____

__Karl glanced at the clock on his desk. It wasn’t too late and this would be a perfect opportunity to spend some time with the boy. But, to be completely honest, he was exhausted. Plus, with the continued luck of the night, he felt like he would probably embarrass himself. Ultimately, Karl decided against it._ _

____

__“I understand. Well, there’s always next week! I gotta go now! Go get some rest! Seeya!” before Karl could register what George was saying, the call ended and his music resumed._ _

____

__“Always next week,” Karl repeated to himself, flopping back down on his bed._ _

____

____


End file.
